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Crisp on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside, this4-ingredient baked salmonrecipe is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare fish at home! With just a few pantry staples like soy sauce, maple syrup, and honey, you can create a healthy and family-friendly dinner in just 30 minutes. Serve the sweet and savory fish with a side ofroasted broccoli, fluffy white rice, or aRamen noodle salad.
Maple Glazed Baked Salmon
This maple honey baked salmon is easy, healthy, and perfect for busy nights! The fish marinates in soy sauce for savory umami flavor, bakes in the oven for 10 minutes, and then gets a coating of maple and honey glaze before finishing under the broiler. The sugars in the glaze caramelize, giving the salmon that great crispy exterior without overcooking or drying out the fish. It’s seafood dinner perfection — and your kids will love it!
4 Ingredients for EasyOven-Baked Salmon
This is a quick overview of the 4 ingredients that you’ll need for this delicious baked salmon recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printablerecipe cardat the bottom of the post.
- Salmon:use as many fillets as you need. For instance, cut the recipe in half and prepare just two salmon filets if you’re feeding a smaller family. This iscoho salmon(since that’s what is readily available near me), but you can use wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Atlantic salmon, or farm-raised salmon. Whatever you prefer — alltypes of salmonhave great health benefits and are full of omega-3fatty acids.
- Soy sauce:let the salmon sit and marinate in the soy sauce for about 15 minutes while you preheat the oven. This adds a delicious, salty, umami taste to the fish. I preferless-sodium soy sauce, but any variety will work.
- Maple syrup and honey:sweet components for the glaze, which pair so nicely with the salty soy sauce. The sugars in the honey and maple syrup caramelize under the broiler, giving the fish that delicious crispy, charred exterior.
How toBake Salmon
Cooking salmonhas never been easier. This simple 4-ingredient sweet baked salmon recipe saves the day when you need a healthy, easy meal on the table quickly.
- Placethesalmon skinside down on a foil or parchment-linedrimmed baking sheet.
- Patdry withpaper towel.
- Brushthesalmon filletswith soy sauce, and then let the fish sit and “marinate” while you preheat the oven.
- Bakein a 425°F oven for 10 minutes.
- Whilethe fish is in the oven, whisk together the honey and maple syrup in asmall bowl.
- Brushthe salmon with the honey mixture.
- Placethe fish under the broiler for 2-3 more minutes, or until the outside is crispy and the inside flakes easily with a fork.
What temp should salmon be cooked to?
You know the salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. If you’re using aninstant-read thermometer, the USDA recommends aminimuminternal temperatureof 145°F, which should be measured at thethickest part of the salmonfillet.
What temperature is best to cook salmon in the oven?
In this recipe, I bake the salmon at 425 degrees, which is about the median temperature for baked salmon recipes. A lower oven — around 350 to 375degrees F— will require a longercooking timeand is best for larger fillets of salmon. Ahigher temperature— between 400 and 450 degrees — will require lesscooking timeand is better forindividual filletsbecause they cook faster. 400-425 degrees is the ideal temperature for the salmon to gain color and for thesalmon skinto become perfectly crispy.
Can you cook maple-glazed salmon in afoil packet?
Yes, you could make thiseasy baked salmon recipein foil packets, but it may adjust thebaking timeto about12-15 minutes. Whensalmon bakesin foil, it really locks in moisture, resulting in tender and flakey salmon every time. Just make sure you’re checking the final temperature of the salmon throughout cooking. Use caution when opening the foil packets after cooking — steam trapped in the packets could burn you if not opened carefully.
How to Stop Salmon from Sticking to the Pan
If thesalmon filletsare sticking to the foil-linedsheet pan, drizzle the foil with just a little bit ofolive oil. This will not affect thecrispy skinon the underside of the salmon — in fact, it’ll help make it crispier!
What to Serve with Baked Salmon
Baked salmon is one of themost versatile fishrecipes. You can pair this maple and honey glazed salmon with almost any of your favorite veggies and sides! Here are some easy ideas to get you started:
- Mashed Potatoes,Baked Potatoes,orGrilled Potatoes
- Rice Salad with Corn, Bacon and PimentosorRice Pilaf
- Garlic Oven Roasted Broccoli
- Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Southern SuccotashorFried Corn
- Amish Green Beans with Brown Butter,Southern Style Green Beans,orGreen Beans with Brown Butter
- Couscous Salad
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Sauteed SpinachorSauteed Zucchini
- Homemade Crescent RollsorSoft Dinner Rolls
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits,Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits,Southern Buttermilk Biscuits,Cheese Biscuits, orDrop Biscuits
- Ramen Noodle Salad, Wedge Salad,Classic Caesar Salad,House Salad with Candied Pecans,or aGreen Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Easy French Baguette,Jalapeño Cheddar Bread, orNo-Knead Dutch Oven Bread
Maple Honey Salmon Storage Tips
Leftover salmonwill keep in anairtight containerin therefrigerator for up to 2 days.
Leftovers can also befrozen for4-6 months, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Thaw cooked salmon in the refrigerator or immersed in cold water. Use cooked, thawed salmon in salads or as a substitution for canned salmon in casseroles, pasta dishes, sandwiches, or wraps.
Baked SalmonRecipe Variations
- Season the salmon with even more herbs and spices.For instance, add a dash ofgarlic powder, onion powder,black pepper, or paprika; try our favoriteall-purpose seasoning blend,or use parsley, rosemary, thyme, or basil.
- For an even more flavorful “kick,”add fresh ginger to the honey glaze.
- Cooking Just for Two?Cut the recipe in half and bake according to the recipe instructions.
- For a larger group,bake even moresalmon fillets.
- Garnish withsliced green onion,fresh herbs, orlemon juiceorlemon slicesfor a bright, fresh touch. Crushed red pepper flakes add a delicious spicy flavor, while toasted sesame seeds give the fish an extra crunchy texture and subtle nutty flavor.
Tips for theBest Baked Salmon Recipe
- If you’re starting with frozen salmon, let the salmon thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using in this recipe.
- Pat the fish drywith paper towels before brushing with soy sauce.
- Line the baking sheetwithaluminum foilorparchment paper. This makes cleanup easy!
- Wait to season the fishwith salt andblack pepperuntil it’s done and you can taste it. The soy sauce adds a good amount of sodium to the salmon, so you might not need any extra salt.
- The totalcooking timewill varydepending on the size, temperature, and thickness of your fish when it goes into the oven. As a result, keep a close eye on the salmon and remove it as soon as the outside is crisp and the inside flakes easily with a fork. If using ameat thermometer, you’re looking for aninternal temperatureof 145°F in thethickest part of the fish.
More Easy Salmon Recipes to Try
- Salmon Patties {a great way to use up leftovers!}
- Orange Salmon
- The Perfect 15-Minute Grilled Salmon
- Easy Weeknight Salmon Sandwich
- 4-Ingredient Brown Sugar Dijon Roasted Salmon
- Salmon Marinade with Lemon, Garlic, and Herbs
- 5-Ingredient Blackened Salmon
- Salmon with Dill Sauce
- Easy Baked Salmon Fillet
- How to Bake Salmon in Foil
- Sheet Pan Dinner: Maple Glazed Salmon with Sweet Potatoes
- Parmesan Herb Baked Salmon Fillet
- Honey Soy Glazed Salmon
- Teriyaki Salmon
- Garlic and Herb Poached Salmon
- Maple Pecan Crusted Salmon
4-Ingredient Baked Salmon
5 from 1 vote
Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 13 minutes minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes minutes
Total: 33 minutes minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 235 kcal
Crisp on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside, this 4-ingredient maple honey baked salmon recipe is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare fish at home!
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (about 5-6 ounces each)
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet or large baking dish with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup) and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Place salmon skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towels.
4 salmon fillets
Brush some of the soy sauce onto each salmon fillet. Let the salmon sit and marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
Cook the salmon on the top rack of the oven for 10 minutes.
While the salmon is in the oven, whisk together the honey and maple syrup in a small bowl.
1 tablespoon honey
Remove the salmon from the oven and baste with the honey mixture.
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Turn the oven setting to "BROIL" on high. Place the salmon about 4-6 inches from the broiler. Broil for 2-3 more minutes, or until the outside is crispy and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Garnish with green onion, sesame seeds, or crushed red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Season the salmon with even more herbs and spices.For instance, add a dash of garlic powder or onion powder, try our favoriteall-purpose seasoning blend, or use parsley, rosemary, thyme, or basil.
- For even more flavorful “kick,” add fresh ginger to the honey glaze.
- Cooking Just for Two?Cut the recipe in half and bake according to the recipe instructions.
- For a larger group, bake even more salmon fillets.
- If you’re starting with frozen salmon, let the salmon thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using in this recipe.
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels before brushing with soy sauce.
- Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. This makes cleanup easy!
- Wait to season the fish with salt and pepper until it’s done and you can taste it. The soy sauce adds a good amount of sodium to the salmon, so you might not need any extra salt.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size, temperature, and thickness of your fish when it goes into the oven. As a result, keep a close eye on the salmon and remove it as soon as the outside is crisp and the inside flakes easily with a fork. If using a meat thermometer, you’re looking for an internal temperature of 145°F in the thickest part of the fish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of the recipeCalories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 29gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 330mgPotassium: 723mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 57IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
Keyword: baked salmon, Baked Salmon Fillet, baked salmon recipe, maple glazed salmon, Quick Salmon Recipe
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Asian
Author: Blair Lonergan
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This recipe was originally published in January, 2018. It was updated in March, 2022.
